Rail-joint.



19m-893,039. BATENTED 09T. 9, 1906. 0.9159019.

RAIL JOINTVl APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1906.

IWW i TH: NoRRls Pirna; co., wasHmaTch: nbc,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

llnnlieation filed June 29, 1906.

Patented Oct; 9, 1906.

Serial No. 324,022.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GIBSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coraopolis, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to provide a rail-joint wherein the fish-plates are secured in place without the use of screw-bolts and nuts.

While the invention contemplates the use of transverse connections between the fish-l plates which pass through the webV of the rail, it is a further object of the invention to pro vide for so interlocking and securing t0- gether the fish-plates that such transverse connections may be dispensed with without impairing the joint.

Still a further object is to provide the iishplates with connected parts which underlap the rail in such manner as to provide a chair for the meeting extremities of the rails, also to so construct the interfitting and interlocking portions of the joint as to provide for wedging the parts together in such manner as to hold the plates in tight engagement with each other and with the rails.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved joint. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fish-plates, showing the 'same separated and partly in section. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the fish-plates in assembled position. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig, 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking-key. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the interlocking pin and slot portions of the fish-plates.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the rail-head, 3 the web, and 4 the base.

5 indicates one of the iish-plates, preferably the inner plate, and 6 the other or outer plate. Carried by and preferably formed integral with the inner face of plate 5 are pins 7, which pass through the usual bolteopenings in rail-web 3, plate 5 being first applied tothe rail with the pins projecting therethrough, as shown in Fig. 2. rPlate 6 is then passed over the pins, the same having slot-like openings 8 enlarged at one end at 8 to admit the pins, and then plate 6 is given a slight longitudinal or sliding movement which carries the narrower portions of slots 8 over the pins, interlocking with grooves 7 formed therein. The edges 7 of grooves 7 and the outer faces 8 parts wedge tightly together, therebjT drawing' plates 5 and 6 into tight engagement with opposite sides of the rail. Also slots 8 are inclined downwardly slightly from their enlarged ends 8', thus causing plate 6 to be raised appreciably when moved as described, and thereby brought into tight engagement with the under face of the rail-head 2.

Projecting inwardly laterally from the base of fish-plate 5 is the plate-like projection 9, and a similar Vprojection 10 is carried by fish-plate 6. When the fish-plates are applied to the rail, these projecting portions 9 and 10 underlap the rail with the outer end of each projection extending beneath the base of the other fish-plate. Depending from each of the fish-plates is a hook-like projection 11, which embraces the 'free end of the underlapping projection 9 or 10, as the case may be. The under hook-engaging faces of parts 9 and 1() are slightly beveled, as indi cated at 12, so that when plate 6 is moved longitudinally of 'plate 5 when making described connection the interfitting base parts wedge together and are tightly held. The meeting edges of the plate-like projections 9 and 10 are notched at 13, so as to interlock with each other, and the end surfaces 13 of these notches are disposed obliquely, as shown, so that when the parts are moved together a wedging action ensues, the effect of which is to draw parts 9 and 10 into tight engagement transversely of the joint.

The top faces of parts 9 and 10 are depressed to form the way for key 14. Forming a part of this depression is groove 15 in part '9, of the same width from end to end,

while a similar groove 16 in part 10 is of tapered form. Tongues 15 and 16 on the under face of key 14 are formed complementary with said grooves, tongue 15 being the same width from end to end and tongue 16 tapered. When the fish-plates and their interlocking parts have been adjusted to the rail, key 14 is driven in and operates to still further wedge the parts into tight engage ment with each other. j By having only one side or. portion of the key ta ered, with the other portion straight, the ho d of the key is much more secure and the key is less liable to IOO work loose than though both of the tongues and the grooves tapered. The wedge is preferably slightly longer than the keyway, so as to project and be accessible at each end, its

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their outer extremities sustained and se? cured by the hook projections 11 a very solid and substantial transverse support is provided.

While the invention contemplates the use of rojecting pins on one fish-plate and suitab e openings therefor in the other plate, such construction is not absolutely essential, as the iish-plates and rail Would be held solidly and securely together Without the pins. Hence if the latter should become broken or unserviceable from any cause the efficiency of the joint Would not be seriously impaired.

After the joint has been assembled-that is, after plate 6 has been moved longitudinally as far as required to effect the interlocking' engagement describedit is preferably secured by spikes 18 to the cross-ties 19, and plate 5 is similarly secured, thus providing a further precaution against such displacement as might tend to loosen the oint.

The extremities of the iish-plates are reinforced by the ribs or Webs 20, and similar enlargements 21 are formed on'each plate coincident With its transverse plate-like projection, and the upper or stem portions of hooks 11 are of like formation, as indicated at 22. The side and base portions of the fish-plates are thus reinforced in a very substantial manner, and, furthermore, these reinforcements, and particularly those at the extremities of the plates, operate to so deflect the flange of the derailed Wheel as to prevent the same from riding upon and injuring the fish-plate.

l. The combination of a pair of fish-plates, a lateral projection on each plate adapted to underlap the rail, the projections having a keyway, and a key iitting the keyway for securing together the said projections.

2. The combination of a pair of iish-plates, a lateral projection carried by each plate adapted to underlap the rail7 said projections being side by side and having their top face Irecessed to form a keyWay, and a key for the keyWay operating to secure together the said projections.

3. The combination of a pair of {ish-plates, a plate-like projection at the inner side of each plate, each of said projections underlapping the rail and combining to form a chair therefor, the top faces of the plate projections being recessed to provide a keyWay and to form locking-grooves, and a key tting the keyWay and having tongues depending into the grooves thereof.

4. The combination of a pair of-fish-plates, a plate-like lateral projection at the inner side of each fish-plate adapted to underlap the rail and the other iish-plate, a hook-like projection depending from each isheplate and adapted to embrace the late-like projection carried by the other sh-plate, and means for securing the fish-plates in position.

5. The combination of a pair of fish-plates, a plate-like projection at the inner side of each fish-plate adapted to underlap the rail and the other 'fish-plate, one fish-plate being movable longitudinally of the other, a hooklike projection carried by each iish-plate adapted to embrace the underlapping portion of the projection carried by the other iis'hplate, the engaging surfaces of the hook and projection being shaped to provide a Wedging action, and means for securing the fish-plates- 6. The combination of a pair of lish-plates, a plate-like projection at the inner side of each fish-plate adapted to underlap the rail and the other i[ish-plate, a downwardly-extending hook-like projection carried by each fish-plate and adapted to embrace the underlapping projection of the other fish-plate, the plate-like projections being recessed and grooved to form a keyWay, and a key fitting the keyway having tongues Which enter the grooves.

7 The combination of a pair of fish-plates, laterally-projecting pins carried by one of the plates, the other fish-plate having slots en, larged at one end to receive the pins and interlocking therewith When one plate is moved longitudinally of the other plate, a lateral projection carried by each fish-plate adapted to underlap the rail, said projections having a keyvvay, and a key iitting the keyWay for securing together said projections.

8. The combination of a pair of fish-plates, a lateral projection carried by each plate adapted to underlap the rail, the projections being arranged side by side, said projections being each grooved to form a keyWay the groove in one projection being of uniform Width from end to end and the groove in the other projection being of tapering form, and a locking-key having tongues of the same form as and fitting said grooves.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this 'speciiication in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

CHAS. GIBSON.

/Vitnesses:

J. H. MURRAY, J. E. HELM.

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